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2026 Cadillac Vistiq Spotted On The Road For The First Time

General Motors unveiled the all-electric 2026 Cadillac Vistiq late last year, pulling the sheets on an all-new crossover that slots above the Cadillac Lyriq. Now, we’re getting our first look at the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq on the road with the following GM Authority photo gallery.

Seeing the new Vistiq under natural light provides us with a better idea of what it will look like out in the real world, as opposed to the perfect press photos released by GM. These images also provide us with our first look at an interesting design element previously unseen in the official images released last year – louvered graphics for the rear side windows.

The side view of the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq out on public roads.

Looking at the rearmost side window, we find a series of graphical slats that run horizontally across the glass. These slats are thinner towards the front and wider in the rear. This design element is similar to the “grille” used in the front fascia, and was first seen on the smaller Cadillac Optiq EV.

Notably, the official Vistiq press images don’t include this louvered graphical element. Rather, the rear side glass shown in the official photos is free of any graphics whatsoever, similar to the Cadillac Escalade IQ.

Cadillac Vistiq prototype

Cadillac Vistiq press photo

It’s unclear at this time if this louvered glass graphic is a discarded feature used by early prototypes, or if the feature will appear on the final production model, but only on certain trim levels or in conjunction with certain packages. Another possibility is that the official Vistiq press images hide the louvered graphic under a reflection, or perhaps was touched-over in post.

As a reminder, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq includes three rows of seating and is expected to offer a two-motor powertrain producing 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. The GM BEV3 platform provides the underpinnings, and production is expected to take place at the GM Spring Hill plant in Tennessee.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Be smart for once, GM (I know it’s really hard when many GM execs are still awaiting brain transplants). Put this on hold until at least 2028 because it won’t sell these days.

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    1. They can’t it already looks 6 years old now…..scrap this turd altogether and get decent XT5 and 6 replacements out now.

      Reply
      1. They should just call this the xt6 iq, looks exactly the same except the back end looks like an angry squirrel

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        1. Longer dash to axle and the resulting better proportions make this more attractive than the XT6.

          Reply
  2. Waiting for a future Hot Rod magazine article converting one of these to ICE…or maybe a couple episodes of “Vice Grip Garage”.

    The 3.0 Twin-Turbo swap would be epic.

    Reply
    1. Outside of running on gas (quick fill-ups) and having a transmission it would be slower with less HP.

      Reply
    2. Another not do impressive Cadillac ~ next

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    3. This is funny because in reality many many classic ice cars have been converted to electric and many more such conversions are to come.

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      1. @Charlie
        Converting ICE into BEV’s is becoming a booming business.
        MY favorite one I have seen is an Alfa Romeo GTA. It had all Tesla drive line with modern LED lights.
        It was stunning.

        Then my second favorite is the Land Rover Defenders that use Tesla drive lines as well.

        Reply
  3. Hopefully unlike the Lyriq, they remembered to put a HUD on it and V2H. Two requirements for me. If I’m dropping the kind of money this will cost, I want something to power my gas furnace when the lights go out next time. I’ll get rid of my generators and the hassle of keeping them maintained.

    Reply
    1. The Lyriq already supports V2H… GM’s solution uses the DC pins, just will require a software update when everything is ready.

      As for V2L V2V, that requires the vehicle to have the 19.2 kW onboard charger.

      Reply
      1. No it doesn’t if it requires a software update. I’m not a tesla kind of buyer. I buy what exists when I buy it. A promise is worthless.

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  4. At least real world pics make this vehicle look a lot better than the press photos. I’m more interested what the interior will look like but more than likely, it will be more enhanced LYRIQ-like I bet.

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  5. Can’t get much more boring than this!

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    1. I agree. Not very exciting to look at. There are no styling cues to the sheetmetal that look truly inspired. The curve of the roof from the windshield to the rear looks very much like Genesis to me.

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  6. Another not so impressive Cadillac ~ next

    Reply
  7. Maybe they will make it a Hybrid, and the market will flock to the dealers for it. Oh well.

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  8. If this is priced anywhere neat the DUD that is the XT6, Cadillac will have a waiting list for this.

    Reply
    1. How is that even possible? An XT6 is less than a Lyriq. A well equipped XT6 is less than a base Lyriq. I’ve priced a well equipped Lyriq and it is 80. Vistiq well equipped will break 100. And by well equipped I mean leather. You have to go all the way to a “3” trim on the Lyriq to even get the option of leather.

      Reply
      1. A well equipped Lyriq is also faster, has SuperCruise and looks better than the XT6. The Lyriq is also about XT6 size. Lyriq has a 10 inch longer wheelbase and 2 inches shorter in overall length. The difference between the Lyriq and Vistiq is the rear. The Lyriq roof tapers down in the back and the Vistiq doesn’t to provide room for the 3rd row passenger seats the Lyriq doesn’t have.

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        1. XT6 has supercruise option. Looks are in the eye of the beholder. Agree, faster, but for a soccer mom, not sure it matters. The soccer mom may well be more interested in a nice interior with leather. I expect Vistiq will start mid-70’s. And well optioned touching 100k. Lyriq is probably only profitable if you consider carbon credits and the bump to fleet average mpg. I expect with Vistiq (and the slade IQ) gm is going to want real profit and will be priced accordingly. I believe slade IQ is to start at 130. I would nto be surprised to see a platinum version hit 200. I’d also point out my dealer has 33 Lyriq’s in stock. They are not moving as fast as other models. I watch their inventory. Lyriq inventory just keeps growing. XT6’s move faster and that is not their fast mover. It is slade all the way.

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          1. Many of the Lyriqs that are not moving off the lot are Tech models the base trim, Lyriq owners all want the higher trim levels.

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        2. @theflew
          While I agree that the Lyriq is far superior to the DUD that is the XT6 albeit in different segments, there is no way in hell that a Lyriq should reach 80K
          GM needs to figure this scaling of batteries out and do so ASAP.

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        3. That would be a major disappointment if the Vistiq only has a higher roofline than the Lyriq. That would make for a cramped third row and diminutive cargo space behind the third row. like that of the XT6. It really needs to be longer and wider, as Chevy, Buick, and GMC have done with the 2024/2025 Traverse, Enclave and Acadia.

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      2. @mkAtx
        Hence the part of …..if this is priced anywhere near the XT6
        GM needs to understand that they need to scale up and do so quickly.
        Zero reason other than lack of scale that a Lyriq is anywhere near 80K. GM should be embarrassed.

        Reply
  9. These real world pics are very encouraging. I was wondering how the rear end styling would mesh.

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  10. Talk about a yawn of a vehicle. This makes even the XT6 look stylish.

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  11. This shows the strength of Cadillac’s design language; it can make even a clearly parts-bin electric version of the joke that is the XT6, look halfway decent.

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  12. Are these things pronounced “eek” or “ik”? Front end looks like the XT’s which are past looking dated.

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  13. This will be the large electric sedan for the “not so wealthy”. It will sell well in California and New York.

    Reply
  14. I don’t see cornering lights?!

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    1. Likely a Tech trim then, the base trim wouldn’t have the cornering lights.

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      1. Looks bland in white, much better in the blue from the first photos, where you can see the contrasting metal trim etc.

        Reply
  15. The front is one of more interesting fronts on a car right now. No mistaking it’s a Cadillac.

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  16. Charlie:

    Ever heard of Lunaz Design? A company in the UK that convert classic Rolls (and others presumably) to Electric.

    Reply
  17. If this vehicle comes without a Frunk then I will know that GM hasn’t learned anything.
    Cannot try and shove Legacy parts bin stuff in an EV. It has to be completely clean sheet and every part needs to be specifically made for the BEV Program. Every ounce matters.

    Reply
    1. It will not have a frunk, just like the Lyriq doesn’t. These are all clean sheet designs. In general, GM didn’t design frunks in their none truck EVs. If you remove the cover from the Lyriq things are easily assessable, so maintenance and assembly are easier.

      Reply
      1. @ theflew
        Someone within GM must have forgotten to let the Escalade IQ team know that they are not allowed to offer a Frunk because it is NOT a pickup truck Lol

        Reply
        1. Escalade IQ, Hummer, Silverado, and Sierra EVs all use the BT1 EV truck platform; So nothing is forgotten.

          Reply
    2. GM chose not to include a frunk in the Lyriq not because they were unable to, but because they found people did not actually use frunks much. If you pop the cover off, you will see there is plenty of room to put a frunk is GM had wanted.

      Reply
      1. @Mudman
        For the record, the Chinese built Lyriq has a Frunk.

        GM simply chose NOT to offer a Frunk on their EV’s in the States for two reasons in my personal opinion.
        First. They utilize many off the shelf parts shared with ICE
        Second. They do NOT want potential customers to see how much more space a customer can have for things in an EV compared to ICE.

        Reply
        1. The American Lyriq has an option for the 19.2kW charger, whereas the Chinese version doesn’t. That charger takes more room under the hood. So you would have had to do with AWD, RWD, 11.2kW, and 19.2 kW options. Easier to just remove the option for a frunk in the US to make assembly easier.

          Reply
          1. @theflew
            Ye sit does.
            So worse case why not offer a Frunk to those who do not chose to have a 19.2kW onboard charger?

            The Lyriq has an insanely long hood. Have you seen it in person?

            Reply
  18. I just watched an old episode of “Seinfeld” where Jerry buys his father a Cadillac Fleetwood. Now that is what a Cadillac should look like – not this slab-sided chest freezer on wheels.

    Reply
    1. Rear 3/4 looks like exactly like the previous generation Kia Sorento… even the taillghts are the same shape as the Kia’s.

      Reply

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